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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28971294">the colors of your steps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/taylorstwice/pseuds/taylorstwice'>taylorstwice</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red Velvet (K-pop Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fluff I guess??, Kim Yerim the Cop (mentioned), Seulgi the rich kid, Sooyoung's a cop too, Soulmate AU, joohyun loves donuts, like really LOVES, she thinks she's gonna end up with a man, sooyoung is a very sad gay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:41:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,867</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28971294</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/taylorstwice/pseuds/taylorstwice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sooyoung's journey on finding her soulmate</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bae Joohyun | Irene/Kang Seulgi, Park Sooyoung | Joy/Son Seungwan | Wendy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the colors of your steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sooyoung’s mom described it as <em>chromatic.</em> She didn’t know what it meant so she went to the public library to see what the word meant.  <em>Colorful. Vibrant.</em> She saw it written in the dictionary. She closed the book with a permanent frown on her face. She still didn’t know what it meant. As she stepped out of the library, she saw footprints. Blue ones. She followed it with her eyes and it went towards the right way after the gate. She stared at it for a moment then walked left, the opposite to where the blue footprints headed.</p><p>Sooyoung was only 7.</p><p>~</p><p>Sooyoung kept her poker face on as everyone around her started finding their soulmates. Oh look, Jimin found his soulmate. A tall lanky girl with blonde hair. Her Jeonghwa unnie also found her soulmate. A guy with tattoos on his arms, a piercing through his eyebrows. Sooyoung asked them. They answered. <strong><em>“Follow the colorful footprints.”</em></strong></p><p>Sooyoung was 14 that time.</p><p>~</p><p>Sooyoung stayed under the tree as the rain poured above her. She ran. She didn’t want to see the disappointment on her parents’ face. She’s a lesbian. A gay. A fag, that’s what her little sister called two gay men a week ago. She already packed her clothes in a bag, but now it was wet from the rain. She stayed under the tree even though it didn’t offer too much protection from the big beads of water falling from the sky. She didn’t know it was getting dark, she kept her head down. A long car stopped in front of her. The window rolled down and a white pale monolid girl stared at her before telling her to get in.</p><p>
  <strong>“What’s your name?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Why are you asking?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m Seulgi.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I’m Sooyoung.”</strong>
</p><p>Sooyoung was 19.</p><p>~</p><p>She saw the <strong><em>“colorful footprints”</em></strong> As her cousins and friends call it, in a bar not too far from Destiny’s. She wanted to follow it. She wanted to meet her soulmate. A white guy with styled black hair and a cheesy smile? Probably. A girl with a good nature and gorgeous eyes? She wishes. She heard hollering from around the bar, but she can’t quite see it. She shrugged. Not her business anyway. She stayed where she sat, drinking her beer as she waited for Seulgi’s text to come. She had 2. Wait, maybe 3? She found herself staring at the footprints.</p><p>The bartender noticed her looking at the floor.</p><p><strong>“Looking at your soulmate’s footprints?”</strong> He asked.</p><p>Sooyoung chuckled. <strong>“Yep.”</strong> She chugged down her 4<sup>th</sup>? Maybe 5<sup>th</sup>.</p><p><strong>“Why aren’t you following it? Scared to be disappointed with how they look?”</strong> Sooyoung faced the bartender, leaving her money on the counter.</p><p><strong>“Quite the opposite actually.”</strong> Sooyoung turned as her phone beeped. Seulgi’s outside. She walked outside and went inside her car, not to see a redhead running out of the bar to look for someone.</p><p>Sooyoung was 23.</p><p>~</p><p><strong>“Come on. I don’t like it when I leave you all alone in the house.”</strong> Seulgi whined as she pulled Sooyoung to her feet. Sooyoung groaned.</p><p><strong>“And I don’t mind being left behind. Go and have fun with your girlfriend, Kang.”</strong> Seulgi stopped pulling the cop and glared at her.</p><p><strong>“Get your ass inside my car, I’m not leaving you here. You’re already dress up anyway.”</strong> Sooyoung groaned again and walked out of the room, pretty sure that she doesn’t stand a chance if she fought with Seulgi about this.</p><p>She groaned as she stepped out of the elevator, carrying boxes of donuts on top of each other.</p><p><strong>“You only brought me with you because you wanted me to carry all this shit and watch you suck Joohyun unnie’s face off after she opened the door.”</strong> Sooyoung complained, trying to navigate her way with her feet since she can’t see the way, the pile of donuts blocking her sight. Joohyun and Seulgi did make out in front of Joohyun’s apartment, and Sooyoung started to thank the donut boxes. She sighed in relief after she put the boxes down on Joohyun’s counter, her arms were sore already. She stretched her arms up and let out a load moan of pleasure, earning glances from the couple sitting on the couch.</p><p><strong>“What?”</strong> She asked.</p><p>Seulgi was about say something when she noticed Sooyoung staring at the floor then at Joohyun’s bedroom door.</p><p><strong>“Soo?”</strong> Sooyoung turned to her best friend, seeing the confusion on Seulgi’s face.</p><p><strong>“I got to go. Yerim texted. Something came up.”</strong> Sooyoung lied, stuffing her dead phone in her back pocket.</p><p><strong>“But we haven’t started the movie night yet. And it’s your day off.”</strong> Seulgi reasoned, trying to stop her best friend from leaving.</p><p>Sooyoung smirked. <strong>“There is no day off when it comes to saving and serving people, Kang.”</strong></p><p>Seulgi smiled. <strong>“Touché, Park.”</strong></p><p>Sooyoung said her goodbyes and left the premises, rode the same elevator the same time Joohyun’s bedroom door opened.</p><p><strong>“Joohyun unnie, uncle wanted to k---”</strong> Seungwan stopped talking when she noticed something on the floor.</p><p><strong>“Uncle wanted to what?”</strong> Joohyun asked from the couch, arms wrapped around Seulgi.</p><p><strong>“Someone else was here.”</strong> Seungwan said out of the blue.</p><p><strong>“Yeah, Seulgi’s best friend was here but she had to go.”</strong> Joohyun answered.</p><p>Sooyoung sat on the bar, nursing her 3<sup>rd</sup> bottle of beer. She wasn’t drunk, just a bit buzzy.</p><p><strong>“What’s up?”</strong> The bartender asked, wiping the counter. The bar wasn’t crowded surprisingly, just a few regulars drinking their own alcohols in their own places.</p><p><strong>“I found my soulmate’s footprints in my best friend’s girlfriend’s apartment. So it’s either my best friend’s girlfriend is cheating on my best friend with my soulmate or my soulmate is related to my best friend’s girlfriend. It’s a good fucking day.”</strong> Sooyoung sipped her beer, putting it down with a thud.</p><p>The bell above the door chimed. A redhead entered the bar, wearing a leather jacket and jeans.</p><p>Sooyoung didn’t turn. <strong>“So what’s the problem?”</strong></p><p>
  <strong>“The problem is I don’t know if I’m ready to face my soulmate yet. I’m scared that I wouldn’t reach their expectations.”</strong>
</p><p>Someone sits beside Sooyoung but she doesn’t mind them. <strong>“Believe me, I didn’t expect to meet you this way but you definitely rocked my expectation scale.”</strong></p><p>Sooyoung turned, shocked to hear a deep feminine voice instead of a a manly one.</p><p>Bright red hair welcomed her as deep hazel eyes struck her whole being, the tall young woman couldn’t believe that a gorgeous woman like her was sitting before her.</p><p><strong>“Nice try.”</strong> Sooyoung said after getting her wits back.</p><p>She turned back and sipper her beer, ignoring the weird look the bartender was giving her. Quite offended with the taller woman’s attitude but not discouraged, the redhead asked the woman. <strong>“What’s your name?”</strong></p><p>
  <strong>“If you’re looking for a hook-up or a one-night stand, we can do it already, just drag me to wherever you want to do it, but there’s no need to ask for na---”</strong>
</p><p><strong>“And here I thought you’d be quite interesting just because your footsteps are green.”</strong> That caught Sooyoung’s attention. She turned towards the redhead again and looked at her with a serious expression. <strong>“My footsteps…are green?”</strong></p><p>
  <strong>“Yeah, shiny ones. More like the shade of a kiwi.”</strong>
</p><p>Sooyoung squinted her eyes. <strong>“How would I know that you’re not lying?”</strong></p><p>The redhead snorted and turned her whole body towards Sooyoung, raising one of her eyebrows. <strong>“What would I gain if I was lying?”</strong></p><p>Sooyoung scoffed and gestured her body. <strong>“Uh, a hot partner?”</strong></p><p>The redhead laughed out loud. <strong>“That is right.”</strong> She wiped away a tear. <strong>“But you do know that you can answer your own question easily, right?”</strong></p><p>Sooyoung only raised her eyebrows as an answer.</p><p>
  <strong>“You just have to look down. That won’t take too much of your time, right?”</strong>
</p><p>Sooyoung shook her head and sipped. <strong>“I don’t want to assume and then be disappointed.”</strong></p><p><strong>“Well, I’m telling you now you won’t be.”</strong> There was definitely something in the woman’s voice that made her look.</p><p>Bright blue.</p><p>The same shade just like the first time she saw them in that library when she was 7.</p><p><strong>“I must be so fucking drunk.”</strong> Sooyoung shakes her head so fast that it earns her a loud laugh from the redhead. She stops shaking her head and looks at the girl with a frowned face.</p><p>
  <strong>“What’s so funny?” </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I just never thought that my soulmate would be a very tall, lanky yet pretty woman who shakes her head when she thinks she’s hallucinating.”</strong>
</p><p><strong>“I’m taking offense that you didn’t describe me as hot.”</strong> Sooyoung leans back as she takes in the last drops of her beer. <strong>“and no, don’t use that word on me. You’re not mine.”</strong></p><p>
  <strong>“I’m not your what? Your soulmate?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Exactly.”</strong>
</p><p><strong>“Sooyoung, just believe her.”</strong> The bartender says from the other side of the bar, giving another customer her ordered drink.</p><p><strong>“Wait, how did you know my name? I never said my name to you!”</strong> Sooyoung starts getting hyped, standing from her stool, too drunk to notice the hand on her back as the redhead supports her stumbling body.</p><p><strong>“Seulgi’s been around here for so long, your name had always slipped from her mouth whenever she gets too drunk.”</strong> The bartender tells as she makes her way towards the two, wiping her hand with her towel. She puts her arms on the counter and gives the tall woman a smile. <strong>“Just take your seat and sober up, Sooyoung. And listen to the girl. She might be your sou---”</strong></p><p><strong>“No, that’s impossible. My soulmate is a man.”</strong> The bartender’s eyes quickly perch on the redhead’s face and right in front of her, she sees how the light in the shorter girl’s eyes dimmed. That glimpse of happiness when the taller girl had paid attention to her, disappeared.</p><p>
  <strong>“Ah. So you’re straight.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Ew, no thank you, I’m very much a gay woman.”</strong>
</p><p>The bartender and the redhead share a look of confusion.</p><p>But they understand.</p><p>They’re talking to a drunk person.</p><p>Clears everything out.</p><p>
  <strong>“If you’re gay, then why are you telling me your soulmate is a man?”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“Because that’s what cruel life taught me. It’s always these beautiful women paired to mediocre men.”</strong>
</p><p><strong>“Sooyoung,”</strong> The redhead moves closer towards the taller girl, seeking for the drunk’s hazy eyes. <strong>“do you want to know something else about soulmates?”</strong></p><p>
  <strong>“Sure, just make sure that it’s not hetero related again or else I’m going to lose my shit.”</strong>
</p><p><strong>“No no,”</strong> The redhead chuckles. <strong>“this is will make you happy.”</strong></p><p>
  <strong>“Did you know that when you kiss your soulmate, your souls will be bound within the timeless space out there, and you’ll hear the most beautiful song you can ever hear?”</strong>
</p><p><strong>“No, I did---”</strong> Sooyoung’s words get stopped when her face was turned so abruptly it startled her. The redhead smirks at her.</p><p>
  <strong>“Let me let you hear it.”</strong>
</p><p>And whatever it was that ring in Sooyoung’s ears as she tastes the unmistakable taste of Seulgi’s damned donuts from this girl’s lips, she swears it was the most amazing thing that she had ever heard.</p><p>Coming second to this girl’s voice.</p><p>
  <strong>“You need to tell me your name or else I’m going to die.”</strong>
</p>
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